


Through the Pumpkin Patch

by PaladinGabe



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Autumn, Halloween, Implied Dysfunctional Family, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Character Death, JeanMarco Week 2016, M/M, Mentions of Cancer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-20
Updated: 2016-10-24
Packaged: 2018-08-23 14:42:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8331688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PaladinGabe/pseuds/PaladinGabe
Summary: Part of Jeanmarco Week 2016It all started in kindergarten, when Jean Kirschtein grew acquainted with his new friend Marco during the autumn play. From there, they'd gone through many peaks and valleys, successes and tragedies, and moments of passion and love. It's a long journey, but they'd walk down that path again and again.





	1. The Huntsman and the Tree (Fairytales)

_Jean didn’t want to be a_ tree. He didn’t want to be in this stupid play. His kindergarten class had been preparing this all season, and the autumn play for their class was the story of _Little Red Riding Hood._ He’d much rather be the Big Bad Wolf. Or even the huntsman that saves the day. But nope. He was stuck being this stupid tree that stands there during the majority of the play.

One classmate that he barely talked to named Marco was the huntsman. And every day at rehearsal he grew more jealous of him. He was the hero, and he saves Red and her grandma from the Big, Bad Wolf! He wanted to be a hero, not a tree.

Today was the showing of the play, and he had been dreading it all day. His mother and kept encouraging him that it was okay. She pulled up to the school. His father never came to these type of school events and didn’t care for his extracurricular activities. Jean stepped out of the car once they were in front of cafeteria, and he pouted as he looked at his mom.

“Can we just go home? I don’t wanna do this, Mom.”

“Come on, it’ll be fun,” she said with an encouraging smile. “Trust me. Now, I’ll see you at the play.”

He groaned heavily and walked inside with her. He had to go into one of the classrooms next to the cafeteria, where his teacher helped him with his tree costume. Jean looked longingly at Marco, who had makeup on to make it look like he had a beard while he wore a plaid shirt that his mother got for him herself. He was giggling while playing with his hat.

“You’ve got the best part of the play,” Jean said aloud as he looked at him.

Marco curiously looked up. “Hm? You think so?”

“Yeah, because you’re the hero. You save Little Red Riding Hood!”

“That’s true,” he said as he giggled. “But it’s not as great as it sounds.”

Jean tilted his head. “What do you mean?”

“Well, I dunno…” Marco shrugged. “I’m only in the last few minutes of the play. I walk up to the house, bust down the door, kill the wolf, and save Red and Granny. Not much else.”

“You kiddin’?” he gasped. “You do so much in the last few minutes!”

“Maybe I’m just selfish, but I wanted to be throughout the whole play. I wanted to be the wolf.”

“Me too!” The wolf’s role was probably the most anticipated role, then. “At least you’re not a tree, Marco.”

At hearing that, Marco smiled wider at him. “I bet you’d be the best tree in the forest. You’re the only one that has a face, after all.”

His face turned red and he looked away for a second, feeling one of the cardboard branches on his costume. “You think so? I mean, Thomas is probably gonna be a cooler rock.”

They both laughed together, barely hearing their kindergarten teacher telling the students that there were five minutes left before the show was starting. Jean walked up the steps from back stage, where the parents were waiting outside in the seats for the show to begin. He peaked a bit and saw different couples holding cameras and standing by tri-pods, and then there were other parents that were trying to appease their younger children that were antsy from trying to stand still and wait.

Despite his part being so minimal, he realized that he was going to be on the stage the most. All of the eyes were going to be on him while he stands there as the tree. It was a little nerve-wracking as the weight of his purpose in the play was settling in.

“Are you okay, Jean?” Marco asked from further backstage.

“They’re all going to be watching me the whole time,” Jean said nervously. “I’m really scared.”

“Don’t be,” he insisted. “Just smile and show that you’re the best tree ever.”

He sighed as he nodded, hearing his teacher talking about the production to the parents. He stood perfectly still facing the stage curtains, his cheeks a rosy red still as he heard a little applause. There were still babies babbling and toddlers complaining quietly, but despite it, he was going to do what Marco said and show them that he was a great tree.

The curtains went up and the play began. His eyes darted around the room to look for his mom, but he couldn’t find her. His teacher was narrating the story while the other children played their parts. He was a little upset, but he knew his mother was always trying.

Eventually all the sounds around him became white noise. There probably was one thing that he could find a benefit in by being a part of this play. Every day that he was here, it was one less moment he could be away from the unrest in his home.

His parents constantly fighting, both of them going up to him with all this “He said,” “She said,” nonsense that he didn’t understand. When he stood in the bathroom mirror rehearsing how he was going to stand, he kept trying to ignore the fights and yelling. His mom constantly said that it wasn’t Jean’s fault that they were fighting, but he couldn’t help but feel like he had contributed to it. After all, his dad didn’t want to come and see the play—and he made that _very_ clear. And he was really annoyed that Jean kept complaining to his mom that he didn’t want to be the tree. He often heard his dad tell his mom that it was her fault that Jean had become _“such an annoying, whiny brat.”_

He never really asked for much. Just for his dad to care about what’s going on at school, or about his grades, or about _anything_ that he liked.

His focus was regained as he heard Sasha as Red Riding Hood gasping out her lines. _“What big eyes you have!”_

He looked towards the door, and he finally saw his mom come in. She looked a little battered with her hair a little messy, but as soon as she looked at her son in his tree costume, her face lit up with delight as she gingerly waved and sat in the back row. His own smile mirrored hers, and his teacher narrating the next few lines brings him back to the play.

Marco entered from “Stage Left,” like how their teacher described that area during rehearsals, and he had to move around Jean because he was a little too close to where he was supposed to be. That made Jean a little flustered, but he thankfully didn’t seem too annoyed by it. The play then continued on successfully, and at the end the parents happily applauded. The kids all took a bow, but Jean couldn’t because the tree would knock him over on his face if he tried. He only stayed in his costume long enough to have his mom take a picture of him.

As she took a picture, Marco walked over excitedly, some of the beard makeup smeared on his chin from when he hugged his mother. “Can I take a picture with you too?”

Jean smiled. “Sure!” He looked at his mom. “This is my new friend Marco. He was the huntsman,” he said excitedly.

She grinned. “You both did such a great job! Let’s take some more pictures.”

“Okay!”

Both boys got together, and as Marco played with one of the cardboard branches, they both laughed while Jean’s mom used her camera to take pictures. They both had lots of fun.

In a way, this whole process with the play and the serenity that this moment caused felt like a fairytale to Jean. When they go back home, none of this merriment will stay and his mom will continue to do everything she can to keep her son happy while things at home were currently unstable.

Jean’s mom soon put her camera back in her purse. “When you’re all set, we can go out for some ice cream, okay?”

Jean nodded happily as he went back in the classroom with Jean. As he put away his costume, he felt this bittersweet feeling. He didn’t want to leave the classroom. Everything was going to go back to normal.

Just as Jean was going to leave, he heard Marco try calling him and turned around.

“One day, we should hang out,” Marco insisted happily. “It’ll be fun! You can come over my house, and we can play video games or play basketball after homework!”

Already there was a change in his normal, every day life. That tiny spark was enough to get him excited for something happening beyond this fairytale. “Yeah. I can ask my mom.”

“Your mom can call my mom anytime!” he giggled.

“Okay.” They both nodded as they walked out to meet up with their families. “Bye, Marco!”

“Bye, Jean!” He happily went up to his family and they all left together.

Jean’s mom held his hand once he went up to her. “Thanks for coming.”

“I’m sorry I was so late,” she sighed. “Your dad didn’t want me leaving without making him dinner. We’ll get some dinner for ourselves while we’re out too.”

“That sounds good,” he insisted happily.

They walked to the car and both got strapped in. “So, did you enjoy being the tree after all?”

Jean looked over from the back seat and nodded. “Yeah. I just wish that I had more lines.”

She laughed while driving, and Jean looked up at the sky while the sun was setting. He in fact did enjoy being the tree. It was a moment where he could leave reality for a little bit. And he met a new friend in the process.

Little did he know that as the years will progress, he and his mom will both experience their own “Happily Ever After” with their own lives leading towards the right direction.


	2. Trick or Treat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ten years have passed since Jean and Marco first became friends. They've grown together and are bonding more and more, with Jean overcoming major family dilemmas as well as accepting his sexuality.

_Jean was fourteen when his parents_ finally got a divorce. A whole ten years and two more kids later. His mother finally pressed charges against him and won custody of the three children. None of them missed him, especially Jean.

As he grew older and he discovered new things about himself, there was something in his psychological map that he was very hesitant to share with his family. It happened when he was thirteen, and his first kiss was with a boy named Armin at the eighth grade formal. It happened when he stumbled upon his first picture of a naked man on the internet when he accidentally typed the wrong thing in Google Search. It happened when he first started masturbating and thought of celebrities like Orlando Bloom and Chris Evans instead of Scarlett Johansson or Catherine Zeta-Jones.

At first he thought he was broken. Sexuality was never really openly discussed. But after Reiner came out as gay and everyone accepted him immediately at school, he realized that it was perfectly normal. There was nothing wrong with him. And after Reiner’s open happiness, Jean felt a little more confident. He knew his mother could accept him, and after explaining it to his brother and sister, they will be okay too. But his father; that was an entirely different story. But he could try.

But as soon as he uttered the words, _“I’m gay,”_ all hell broke loose. After the fight, his mother explained to him that if he ever laid a hand on him or his younger siblings, she was going to finally turn him in to authorities. It was an ugly divorce, and his younger brother cried as he saw their dad being taken away in a police car, but after the fact, they all understood that he wasn’t allowed to be with them anymore.

 Jean still highly respected his mom a year after this skirmish. She’d gone through so much turmoil in the past, and she was doing much better now that the four of them were all thriving together.

It was Halloween, one of Jean’s favorite times of year. He didn’t dress up the year before when he took his siblings out, but this time his sister talked him into it. He dressed up as a huntsman. His sister was a fairy, and his brother was a firefighter. They started trick-or-treating earlier on when the sun was still up.

“When can we get more candy?” his brother whined.

“We have to find another house, Lincoln,” he said gently. “Nicole, hold onto your wand.”

“Sorry, Jean.” She was smiling brightly while holding her wand and pillowcase in the same hand.

As they walked down the street and went from house to house, they stumbled upon another group. It was Jean’s friends, and they all were happy together while getting candy. He waved at them.

“Hey, Reiner! Connie!”

The two of them, as well as three of the others, glanced over and happily waved back.

“Hey, Jean! Are you gonna stay trick-or-treating after dark?” Reiner called.

“Well, I’m just here with Lincoln and Nicole.”

“Hi!” Nicole waved and giggled.

“Hello!” Sasha grinned and waved.

Connie watched them. “You could still come out after you have to bring them home. Please?”

Jean wasn’t entirely interested, but the idea of it was kind of fun. He hadn’t trick-or-treated for himself since he was twelve. “I’ll see. It depends on how I’m feeling after I take them home.”

Reiner pouted. “Okay. Well, you have my number. Lemme know!”

“I will!”

The three siblings continued walking together. The last house was right back near the house. The Bodt house was right across the street, but Jean knew that they gave the best candy out later on for the older kids. Their house was also very spooky, and it was hard for the children to stomach. He helped encourage them to come up to the steps.

He rang the doorbell and knocked three times. A very specific combination to let the family know that it was him.

Very shortly after, a familiar face wearing zombie makeup. His impression scared the kids and made them scream.

“Oh no, don’t cry,” Marco gasped. “Lincoln, Nicole, it’s me. Marco.” He smiled at them and waved.

They were hesitant and shyly hid behind Jean, but they smiled at him after calming down.

“Trick or treat!” Jean grinned as he held out his pillow case.

Lincoln and Nicole held their pillow cases out too.

“I’ve got lots of treats for you,” Marco groaned in a zombie-like voice, but he doesn’t keep in character for long as he starts to giggle while giving them their candy.

“Thank you,” both of them chimed.

Marco smiled at Jean. “So, are you going Trick or Treating after sunset? I know the kids have to be home now, but you can still come out.”

“Reiner asked me about that earlier,” he smiled. “I’m guessing you’re gonna go?”

“Of course,” he chuckled. “I go every year. It gets kinda lonely, since Reiner, Sasha, and the others live a few blocks away and it takes a while to meet them.”

Jean seemed a little more interested about going now that he knew Marco was going. “Okay… I’ll go too. I’m just gonna bring Lincoln and Nicole to the door, and I’ll meet you out here.”

“Okay.”

Jean smiled and brought the kids to the door. “Make sure you show Mom your candy. She’s gotta check them all before you each them.”

“Okay, Jean. When are you coming back?” Lincoln asked.

“I’ll come back later at night. You guys will be asleep by them.”

The two of them hugged Jean before going inside. Right after, Jean hurried across the street to meet his friends. They walked down the street while holding hands in a platonic matter.

“It seems like we haven’t seen each other in a while,” Marco sighed. “I’m sorry… soccer.”

“It’s okay. I understand,” he insisted as he smiled. “We can have more time after November. Now that my dad’s not living with us anymore and my mom got a better job, we can have Thanksgiving at my house this year. Your family can come over if I ask.”

“No need to ask,” Marco smiled. “I’m sure they’d all willingly eat together.”

“That’s true.”

The couple had gone to several different houses before catching up with their friends. They all went to different houses together until at eight o’clock at night.

Sasha kept looking at Jean and Marco. “You know what’s really cute?”

“Does it involve the fact that the two of them had been holding hands most of the time?” Armin cut in.

Marco blushed and shyly looked down at their hands. The two of them often held hands involuntarily. Ever since the kindergarten play they were always together—even when they had the chance to during high school.

“Not just that,” she giggled. “I mean that Jean is dressed as a huntsman, and Marco was a huntsman in the kindergarten play!”

“You still remember that stupid play?” Connie laughed.

“Oh, it’s not stupid,” Marco pouted. “After all, that was how our group of friends started.”

“And if it weren’t for that play, we wouldn’t be friends,” Jean smiled as he looked at Marco.

Reiner grinned. “You two are adorable! When are you guys going to start dating, already?”

“W-we’re not dating, we’re just friends!” Jean insisted while laughing. Besides, he’d thought about it. He was worried that he was going to ruin their friendship by doing so. That didn’t change how he felt about him, though.

“Yeah, we’re gonna be best men at each other’s weddings,” Marco grinned. “It’s been decided since we were eleven.”

Reiner chuckled and looked at them. “That won’t stop me from shipping you two together.”

Their trick-or-treating route ended by walking to each other’s houses and letting the numbers of their group decline. Jean and Marco walked by themselves down the street while they still held hands.

“Most of my candy is Hershey Kisses,” Jean said and chuckled. “That’s the most kisses I’ll ever get.”

“Oh, don’t be so hard on yourself,” he said with a smile and stopped right in front of Jean’s house. “We’re still young. I haven’t even had my first kiss yet, and I’m fifteen.” He grinned.

“You’ll get one someday,” he assured him. He took one of his Kisses out of the bag and faced him. “Here you go.” He placed the candy in his hand.

Marco blushed and moved a bit closer. “Well, that’s a dirty trick,” he giggled.

Despite how Jean had felt about wanting to be in a relationship with Marco, he felt more drawn to him and attracted to him with each moment that he interacted with him. In fact, Jean was the only one that knew Marco was bisexual. He personally wanted to keep it secret since it was no one’s business at school, so only Jean and Marco’s own family knew.

“I think you deserve a treat too,” he added with a smile. “If you’ll let me…” A couple of cars passed by the street, but other than that it was rather quiet and tranquil for a small moment with them together.

He seemed to be in a daze, and he dropped the still wrapped candy that Jean had just given to him. He nodded while leaning close and took his hand.

Jean had imagined this moment for a while now, but now that it was happening, it was even better that he’d ever dreamt of. Their lips slowly brushed against each other in a curious notion, but after a few seconds of growing more comfortable, they continue the kiss. Everything was gentle and slow, no need to rush into things, of course. With their eyes blissfully closed and the smell of costume makeup tickling their noses, they kept smiling while trying not to break their concentration.

After Marco pulled away he kept close. He panted and hummed happy. “Wow… it’d be really weird if we let our friends know about this now.”

“Hey, don’t worry,” Jean insisted happily. “If you don’t want anyone to know yet, we don’t have to let them know. I know how uncomfortable you are.”

While they still blushed, he nodded as he diverted his eyes. “I’m sorry if you want to be more open… I just wanna keep things intimate and quiet for now.”

“That’s perfectly fine,” he smiled. “I mean, if you want, it could even just be only a kiss.”

That particular thought scared him and he shook his head. “No, I really like this idea. Please?”

They held hands while Jean brushed some makeup off of Marco’s cheek before kissing there. “Okay…  I’ll see you tomorrow before school, okay?”

He nodded and smiled. “Okay.” Meanwhile he kissed Jean’s chin, making sure that he got the brushy makeup on them. This made the two of them laugh while they squeezed each other’s hand. “Have a good night, Jean.”

“You too,” he hummed and kissed him again. This kiss lasted longer than the first one, and it made their cheeks even darker. They were reluctant to pull away, but they knew it was getting both later and colder. They separated and walked to each other’s houses.

Jean lingered and watched his friend—er, boyfriend now—go back into his house. He smiled and went inside. The thought of a secret relationship was really exciting, and he enjoyed the idea of a relationship being incredibly intimate for that reason.

The only thing was, he didn’t expect their relationship to be secret for three years.


	3. The Darkest Valley (Pumpkin / Spice)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jean goes through among the worst times of his life, and it takes miracles and a truly lifelong friend to get him back on his feet.

_The Kirschtein family had a tradition_ of going to the local pumpkin patch every October so that they could each pick a pumpkin to carve. Even though Jean was seventeen, Lincoln was ten, and Nicole was eight, nothing made them more excited around this time of year. And without their dad pestering them and complaining, they could stay at the patch as late as they wanted!

They got there after lunch, and the family walked through the patch. Jean was rather preoccupied on his phone most of the time, trying to talk to his boyfriend. It was hard to keep their relationship a secret, especially since all of their friends always looked at them suspiciously. They’d both considered talking to their parents about it, but something always came up. They were both busy the day they were going to sit them all down. Marco had a lot of homework. It was Nicole’s birthday. Eventually, they started making up excuses, and both of them knew they were lying about them.

Unless reserving an entire hour to brush your teeth constitutes as a good excuse.

They hadn’t gone very far with sexually, mostly because it was difficult to find some privacy time. But they were both okay with that. After all they were still in high school, and they both decided to wait until after Jean turned eighteen before going all the way together.

However, with what little they were able to have, they’d made out in the boys’ locker room after Marco had won a big game, and they gave each other hand jobs once or twice while they had study sessions in each other’s rooms. Neither of them were too skittish about that experience, since they’d both seen each other naked when changing during sleepovers and had done things like that to themselves behind closed doors.

Jean couldn’t help but feel bad, though. It was Marco’s wish to keep everything secret, but he desperately wanted to show the world how much he loved Marco. Yes, he _loved_ him. Although they’d never said it to each other, he felt it with every fiber of his being. And whenever given the opportunity, he wanted to show him that.

“Mommy, I want that one!”

He looked up and saw Nicole pointing at a pumpkin that looked like it was almost a third her size. Seeing it made their mother chuckle.

“Sweetie, that might be way too big for you,” she said.

“Please, Mommy?” she pouted.

She couldn’t say no to her pouty face. “You’re going to need help picking it. Jean, can you help Nicole?”

“Yeah, Mom.” He walked over. “Nice pick, Nicole. Does it have any spots or cuts on it?”

They both looked it over together. “Nope.”

“Good. That means we can pick this one. You’re going to have the biggest jack-o-lantern in the neighborhood!”

As Jean picked it out and held it, Nicole was even happier than before. He remembered his first time picking a huge pumpkin like this one. He was so excited, and he got real messy while trying to carve it. He helped Nicole put it into the trunk, and Lincoln grabbed a smaller one that he wanted to paint. Soon, all that was left was for Jean to decide which kind he wanted. He hadn’t really thought of it, after being a little distracted before from helping his sister.

Lincoln came to help him, acting like a little pumpkin consultant while doing so. Jean let his brother have his fun, since this tradition was one of the best ones that their family had. He stumbled upon one a bit further into the patch, which looked about ten pounds and was nicely harvested.

“What about that one, Lincoln?” he asked him as he pointed at it.

His brother moved closer to further inspect it, looking at it up and down and rotating it while it was still on the ground. No marks or scratches. “Perfect.”

“Thanks. You’re the best pumpkin picker in the family,” he said happily as he picked it.

“Why, thank you. It’s my specialty.”

“C’mon, let’s get going,” he smiled as he brought him back to the car. He set the pumpkin on his lap.

“Jean, you should have Marco come over to carve with us,” his mother then offered while they started driving back home. “His mother said he’d already picked one but hasn’t carved it because of soccer practice. You could help him buy some time, right?”

“Of course,” Jean insisted. “It’s just… I don’t know.”

“Well, what seems to be the trouble? I’m sure he wouldn’t mind coming over.”

“Nothing’s wrong.” He was just worried that their secret would be outed if Marco came over. They really needed to talk about that.

“Okay. We can call him when we get home. The other two are very anxious to carve.”

Jean was silent for the rest of the ride.

\--

He did as his mother said and called Marco once they got home. Of course he was very eager to come, but that didn’t get rid of his worries.

“I’ll bring my pumpkin, and we can carve together.”

“Sounds perfect,” Jean said with a smile.

Every second that he imagined saying _“I love you”_ to him was a second that he didn’t register enough in time. He regretted not saying it.

Jean, Nicole, and Lincoln were at the dining room table carving by the time Marco got there. Jean heard the doorbell and quickly shot up. “I’ll get it.” He walked to the door and answered it, seeing Marco holding his pumpkin while smiling happily.

“Hi. I’d wave, but my hands are kinda full,” he giggled.

“It’s okay,” he insisted gently. He shut the door behind him and gently cupped his cheeks, leaning in for a quick kiss.

They ended up kissing each other for a good few seconds, but Marco skittishly pulled away after his hand had started to shake. “I almost dropped my pumpkin.”

They both laughed, and Jean led him inside to the table. His siblings waved eagerly while Marco got to setting up. He sat next to Nicole, helping her with the carving tools.

“Jean, doesn’t mine look scary?” Lincoln held up his pumpkin. His hands were so messy.

“It does,” Jean said encouragingly and smiled. “Nice job.”

“You said it.” Their mother walked in and put all of the unused pumpkin into a bowl. “Marco, let your parents know that I’m going to bake a pie this weekend. Maybe they can bring their apple cider too.”

“Yes, that sounds perfect.” Marco grinned. “I’ll definitely let them know.”

They’d let their pumpkins set outside to dry out a couple hours later. Jean and Marco remained outside on the patio, looking at them. Jean rested his head on his partner’s shoulder while they shivered from the cold. He fixed his jacket and smiled at his boyfriend when they looked at each other.

Just looking into each other’s eyes was enough to warm up Jean’s heart.

Moments felt like an eternity as they kissed each other in the cool comfort of their shared privacy. One kiss turned into two… then three… then a dozen long, deep kisses that made them come up for air a short time later.

“I love you…” Jean said breathlessly while they recovered. He realized what he said and retracted. He didn’t know how sure Marco felt about their relationship, and to say that out of the blue… he felt like he immediately blew it.

It was on fire, right before his eyes, and there was nothing he could do to save it.

The angelic grace in the form of Marco’s laughter was enough to bring Jean back to reality. He was seriously over thinking it.

“I love you too, you knucklehead,” he hummed and kissed him again.

Jean held his hand. “We should tell everyone.”

Hearing that was what set off the fire. “Jean… you know how I feel about that.”

“Come on. It’s been two years,” he sighed. “You know how many times I’ve been dying to try and tell my mom? I hate keeping this from her.”

“I’ve considered it with my parents too, but Jean… I can’t come out. Not yet.”

“What’s stopping you?” Jean moved back a bit. “There were no problems when Reiner came out. Everyone loved hearing the news. And when Ymir and Krista got together, everyone pretty much knew it. It’s the same with us. Everyone is already thinking that.”

“Jean, you don’t know that—”

“And what about me, huh? My dad beat the shit out of me when I told him and my mom. They basically divorced because of me. But despite it, I was brave enough to do it and face him. And I don’t regret coming out. I haven’t felt this good about myself in such a long time. And with you… god, you make everything feel even better. You don’t have to be afraid.”

“Jean.”

With his voice slightly raised, Marco caught Jean’s attention.

“Just… tell me what’s stopping you. Why ‘can’t’ you come out?”

Marco sighed. “There’s this… this scholarship that I want to apply for. For soccer. I want a full ride to school. And in order to keep a clean reputation, I can’t come out.”

Jean knew he shouldn’t feel hurt, but he did. He looked at him with such a shocked and disdainful look. “So, that’s it? This stupid scholarship is the reason why you won’t tell anyone? You know how ridiculous that sounds?”

“You’re not being fair, Jean,” he frowned. “Come on, this is really important to me.”

“So our relationship isn’t important?”

“Stop being so selfish!” Marco got up. “That’s not what I meant. But if you’re going to be that way, I don’t see why we have to waste our time anymore.”

“What are you saying?” Jean blinked. “Marco, I just want people to know how much I love you.”

“Why does that matter to you so much?”

“I-I don’t know, I just…” He shook his head. “Just forget it. Is this how it’s going to end, then?”

“It just might.” He grabbed his pumpkin from where the other ones were, and he walked up to the back door. “Goodbye, Jean.”

He looked down and blinked back tears. “Goodbye.” When he glanced towards the door, Marco was already gone.

He was selfish, and he knew it. Why couldn’t he have just respected Marco’s decision? Maybe it was because he was just so anxious to let others know how much he cared about him. He just wanted others to see Marco how Jean saw him: Smart, funny, gorgeous, outrageously happy, and of course, to brag about his gorgeous brown eyes.

Jean had tried calling to apologize. He realized how wrong he was and wanted to make things right between them. Marco kept avoiding him and wouldn’t answer his calls, and his parents kept telling Jean that he wasn’t home, even when he could see him sitting at his desk from the bedroom window. He felt so crushed. It took up until winter break to finally get Marco to talk to him. He wanted to invite him over to study for their final test.

But plans were immediately cancelled. Right when Jean got home that day to set up for a nice get together, he saw his mom had collapsed on the ground and was lying there very still, very sick looking. He knew she hadn’t been feeling well, but he figured it was just the flu. He’d rushed her to the hospital to find out that it was something far more sinister.

She was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

\--

 _Jean had dropped out of school_ and worked whatever minimum wage jobs he could. They couldn’t afford chemotherapy, and his mother lost most of her money in divorce court during the custody battle without his father paying an ounce of child support that he was supposed to. But she felt better knowing that if she was going to die, then she was going to spend the last moments of her life surrounded by her family.

His mother died hours after his eighteenth birthday.

He’d become the primary caregiver, and social workers visited constantly to check in on them while he fought to keep Lincoln and Nicole. His social life was gone, but none of that mattered to him right now. All he cared about was taking care of his siblings and making sure they weren’t going hungry. It took a miracle to earn his driver’s license, and every paycheck was sucked right out of his hands to pay for his mother’s final expenses, as well as all of the bills that were shoved onto his shoulders. He lost touch with all his friends. He didn’t even remember what Marco was actually going to school for.

He got that full ride scholarship, though.

Good for him.

He had three jobs. Two during the weekends, and a custodial job at the local university on weekdays. He had Mr. and Mrs. Bodt watch the kids while he would work endlessly. He slept about sixteen hours—a week. He was on the verge of a breakdown, but he kept fighting it each day that he came to his jobs looking like a zombie.

He wished he could turn back time. Maybe he could’ve prevented his mother’s cancer if he noticed her illnesses sooner. He definitely shouldn’t have said the things he did to Marco that night. If only he hadn’t asked for so many things on Christmas. Maybe if he didn’t come out as gay, his father would still be with them. And if he knew that his mom had cancer, then maybe he would’ve changed his ways and helped her.

Well, that last one was a little far-fetched, but it was these kinds of thoughts that kept Jean from seeing the better things in his situation. If there were any.

At his barista job one Sunday morning, he wore the wrong apron. He’d heard his boss shout at him that if he did it again, he’d be fired. But he didn’t care. Not today. He was at the register today, mindlessly taking orders and writing down people’s names on their cups. His sighs were as heavy as the dark circles under his eyes. As he robotically went through the motions, his eyes focused on a familiar face on the line.

He hadn’t seen Marco in a year.

He looked great, like he always did. He was happy and charming, with his arm… draped around another man’s. Figures. Jean supposed that college made his old friend look hotter. There was nothing for them now. It was better this way, anyways.

It was Marco and his… friend’s turn now on the line. It took about five minutes for them to get there.

“Jean Kirschtein?” Marco tilted his head. It was as if he didn’t recognize him.

He forced his fake and happy smile. “Marco Bodt… Well, I’ll be damned.”

“God, it’s been so long,” he said happily, obviously struggling with small talk. “You look… different. I mean, I’ve seen you on campus sometimes cleaning, but now that I have a good look at you… wow.”

“Mhm,” he grunted. “Who’s your friend?”

“Oh!” Marco smiled and turned to the other man. “This is my roommate, Thomas. He’s super cool, but his major’s totally different than mine. Thomas, this is my old friend Jean. We were friends from kindergarten to high school.”

It was good to hear that their friendship was now nothing more than a memory.

“Nice to meet you,” Thomas smiled.

“Charmed,” he grumbled. “Now, what can we get for you guys?”

Thomas started first. “I need a large caramel macchiato with skim milk, please.”

He wrote Thomas’ name down on the cup. “And for you, sir?”

“Jean, I know we don’t talk anymore, but you don’t have to be so formal,” Marco pouted.

Jean sighed. “What would you like?”

“I would like to order a pumpkin spice latte, please” he said with a grin on his face.

“I still can’t believe you like those things.” Thomas grimaced. “I can’t stand the smell, let alone the taste.”

Marco laughed and lightly punched his arm. “You obviously could never understand how much I love pumpkins, then.”

Meanwhile, Jean wrote on Marco’s cup. Along with his name, he wrote a little blurb: **I miss you.** He gave the cups to the other workers so they could make their drinks. He took the money for the drinks and watched the two “roommates.”

“Is this your new secret boyfriend?” he grumbled to Marco while in earshot.

Marco really took that to offense. “Jean, why are you so damn bitter? We’re just friends, thank you very much.”

“I’m not bitter, I’m just asking a question.” He didn’t look at him.

“Jean, I know your mom passing away has been really hard on you, but you can’t keep moping and grieving. My parents told me about how you’re never spending time with Nicole and Lincoln, and they’re so upset.”

“Your parents know jack shit!”

His explosion silenced the room. He could feel his boss glaring at him from the back of his head. He was quickly replaced by another cashier and sent to the back.

Marco saw the cup, and despite the outburst, he missed Jean too.

Jean lost his job.

\--

 _With one down and still two_ to go, there was a time slot in his schedule on Saturdays and Sundays. He couldn’t catch up on sleep, because he had to take care of the kids during that time. He stared at himself in the bathroom mirror, feeling the time fly by after he’d made them breakfast. He probably was just staring for thirty minutes. He felt like he’d blacked out for hours, just focusing on each red line in his bloodshot eyes.

“Jean!”

He was startled out of his trance and looked at Lincoln.

“I called you five times. You were scaring me,” he mumbled.

“I’m sorry, Lincoln.” He rubbed cold water into his tired face. “What’s up?”

“Someone’s at the door…”

Jean nodded as he heard the knocking. He walked to the front door. “I’m COMING!” he bellowed loudly before opening it. “…Marco?”

Marco was studying him for a moment. “Hello, Jean. I came to visit my parents this weekend, and they told me to come here instead. I came for the… annual trip to the pumpkin patch.”

Through all of his exhaustion, he’d completely forgotten about it. “We’re not doing it this year.”

“What? Don’t be ridiculous,” he chuckled. “I still haven’t gotten to go with you guys once.”

“We can’t go, because I can’t bake the pumpkin pie.”

He sighed. “Well, we can still go. Your mom would want you guys to. After all, it’s a major tradition. It shouldn’t end because she’s not here.”

Jean crossed his arms. “I have work at 3 o’clock.”

“Call out sick.”

“That’s stupid. I need all the money I can get, after you cost me the job at Starbucks.”

“That was your own fault for shouting at me like that.” Marco crossed his arms. “Now come on. If you’re gonna stay stubborn and upset, then at least do it for Lincoln and Nicole. It’s not fair that you’re bypassing them.”

“I’m not bypassing them. I’m making sure there’s food for them on the table! In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve been working night and day trying to take care of them! I can’t afford to take personal days for dumb traditions!”

Marco absolutely hated when they fought. He tried desperately not to let Jean see that he got to him, but his eyes watered anyways. “Fine. I’ll just take Lincoln and Nicole. They deserve a fun time out.” He moved right passed him to get inside and help the kids get ready.

Jean stayed home and cleaned. He was left alone with his thoughts and just monotonously did what he could around the house. He did call out of work, feeling like he was going to break. He hadn’t cried since he’d first taken his mom to the hospital.

In the effort of trying to work endlessly, he ended up slowly becoming a person that he never wanted to be. Angry over little things, always tired, never happy… Snapping over the slightest protest or slice of criticism. The only thing he hadn’t done was raise his hand to strike anyone, but with his tension and temper, he found that soon it could be a possibility.

He locked himself in the bathroom, as if the icy running water over his head could hide the fact that he was sobbing until he lost his breath. He was stuck, not knowing what to do or how to get help. There was no relief to be found, and soon he wouldn’t be able to afford having Marco’s parents babysit the kids while he worked. He was overloaded, with one-hundred-hour work weeks and almost no sleep, he was done.

He didn’t know when he blacked out. Next thing he knew he was lying on his bed with layers of blankets over his body. He kept blinking, seeing different flashes.

Marco was above him checking if he was awake.

_Blink._

His relief came in the form of a smile and he rubbed the blankets to warm him up with more friction.

 _Blink_.

Marco sat up in the bed, and Jean noticed that he had been lying next to him naked.

_Blink._

His lips start moving, but he couldn’t hear him at first.

Finally, there was then sound.

“I had to undress and lie here to keep you warm with my body heat,” Marco explained. “You have no idea how hard it was to kick open the door. By the way, I’ll buy you a new door.”

“Stop…” Jean grumbled and rubbed his head. It really was hurting all of a sudden.

“Not a single thank you,” he huffed and grabbed his clothes. “If it weren’t for me, you’d probably be frozen to death. And what would I tell the kids? Six months after losing their mother, they’d lose their brother too. God, they’d be heartbroken! You have to learn to be more responsible.”

“I am responsible,” he mumbled, having no more energy to argue with him.

Marco looked at him. “My mom said that you had been working three jobs at once since July. I’d never be able to do that,” he chuckled.

“Don’t. It’d kill you.”

“Well, thanks for the tip,” he giggled and looked at him. He knew that Jean really didn’t want to talk about that anymore. “I know you miss me, Jean… and believe me, I miss you too. All the time. I was stupid to put my scholarship over our relationship.”

“Well it worked, didn’t it? You have a full ride,” he said softly.

“That’s true, but not being able to talk to you or kiss you has made me feel so miserable for a while,” he sighed. “So I want to say that I’m sorry.”

“If anyone is sorry, it’s me. I was being selfish for not considering what you want or what your top priority was. You should never have to choose between me and something that really benefits you.”

Marco moved some hair out of Jean’s face. “I guess we were both pretty selfish, huh?” He smiled gently. “Truce?”

Jean didn’t realize how cold he really was until he lifted his shivering hand up to give him a handshake. He curled up in the covers.

“You still need to be warmed up,” he sighed. He stayed naked and lied down next to him once more, his hands rubbing Jean’s bare arms.

Realizing the situation actually made Jean blush.

Marco noticed this and laughed. “Come on. We’ve been naked in front of each other dozens of times. Hell, we’ve touched each other’s dicks!”

He looked away as a stuttered chuckle spilled out from his lips. “I dunno, this feels more intimate. I dunno which is sexier: the fact you’re naked next to me, or the fact that the reason why you’re naked next to me is because you’re saving my life.”

“Think of it as a good civil service.” He grinned and stayed next to him. “Lincoln and Nicole are at my parents’ house carving their pumpkins. Nicole picked one out for you to do later.”

Jean nodded and stared up blankly. “God… I’m so shitty.”

“Hey, don’t say that…”

“No, really. I am.” He wiped his eyes. “I feel like I’ve grown twenty years older. No matter how hard I try to support Nicole and Lincoln, I… I just can’t.” He sniffled. “I’ve tried so hard on my own, but I can’t. It’s way too much. I’m so scared, Marco. I’m scared that I’ll go crazy, or turn to drinking, or…”

“…be like your father?”

He froze and looked at him as he nodded in defeat. “I wanted to go to college. Mom always said that I’d… b-be such a great engineer. I wanted to have a social life. I wanted to ease into growing up.”

“I know…” Marco hugged him close. “I’m so sorry, Jean. You know, it doesn’t have to be this way. I know it doesn’t. My mom and dad are always available to help. They don’t want you charging for babysitting anymore. In fact, they think that it’d be best if you moved in with them. Selling the house would give you enough money left to sustain yourself. You’re only eighteen, Jean. No one expects you to be the Six Million Dollar man and do it all yourself. If you feel like you have to, pay them rent. Please… don’t think that you have to do it on your own.”

Jean listened to him and snuggled up close to him while he shivered. He didn’t want to cry anymore.

Marco smiled, and he didn’t have to think twice about then kissing him on the forehead. “You only need one job. Okay? Catch up on your sleep.”

He wiped his eyes more and slowly relaxed against him. “You’re unbelievable… are you even human?” He looked at him. “How can you be filled with so much kindness?”

“There’s enough for everyone in the world,” he said cheekily, not giving away any of his secrets.

He felt much better now, and he held onto Marco to make sure it stayed that way. “Marco?”

“Yeah?” He propped himself up and hovered over him.

“Thank you…”

He smiled softly. “Why you’re welcome, Jean. It’s my pleasure.”

Jean paused. “Hey Marco. Do you… do you think we could try again? A-a relationship, I mean. Unless, if Thomas really was your boyfriend.”

“He’s not my boyfriend,” he said with a smile. “He’s straight, Jean.” He took his hand. “There’d be a lot of catching up to do.”

“I know,” he agreed. “But I’m the best at that game.”

That made Marco laugh. “You have to promise me that you’ll try to get better.”

He nodded eagerly. “As soon as I can afford it, I’ll go to therapy, okay?”

“And you also have to promise that once we get together, and I tell everyone about us, that you won’t get too jealous around other guys.”

“I’m totally okay with that,” he insisted. “I promise.”

“It’s a deal.” Marco leaned closer and kissed his cheek. “God, I’ve missed you so much. It’s been way too long.”

“I know…” Jean croaked while nuzzling his neck.

Internally, Jean also promised that he’d make up for everything through his actions, through taking care of Marco, and through all the good moments they were going to have together.

They sealed their promise with a tender kiss. Nothing extravagant, since Jean was still half-frozen. Jean had to get checked into the hospital to make sure he didn’t have hypothermia. But before they left, Marco had given him a drink to try and help warm up his insides. It was filled with the right kind of tastes and flavors, and he couldn’t have asked for anything better.

He drank his pumpkin spice latte until there was none left in the mug.


	4. A Proposal in the Rain (Rain / Sunset)

_Their relationship was very careful. With_ limited time together between Marco being at college and Jean working as a licensed contractor, it felt more like a long distance relationship. Whenever Marco came back for summer vacation, that was when their relationship was at its peaks. At that point, they’d be able to touch each other, kiss each other, hold each other…

That first summer was when they had their first time.

It was such an incredible and gratifying experience that Jean couldn’t describe it into words. It was a sacred time for the two of them. The two of them were both virgins beforehand, so that added to the intimacy.

Their first time definitely was not their last. During their summers, once they were at it, they couldn’t stop. That made long distance Skype sex and phone sex much more arousing, now that they both knew what being together really was like.

As Jean got better at his job and was paid more hourly when on jobs, Jean could afford a few more things than just rent for the Bodts and his bills. He’d gotten a new car and gave Lincoln a computer for his fourteenth birthday. The more money he had saved away, the sooner that the days counted up until Jean could afford his own place at long last for him and his siblings to live in.

Marco’s college graduation was a lot of fun to go to. The six of them in the Bodt house all went together, and Jean helped them celebrate by giving him more flowers and kissing while his cap was still up in the air. He’d then gotten a job at an advertising firm in the city.

“We’re already like a married couple.”

They were cuddling together on the futon in Jean and Marco’s shared room. After Marco had spoken, Jean looked up at his lover and smiled. “Now that we’re both working, we can all live together in our own place once I get the money.”

“Yes,” Marco grinned as he kissed him. “When should we go to the pumpkin patch? Nicole and Lincoln aren’t too old now, are they?”

“Never too old,” he teased. “I mean, look at me.” He took his hand. “We can go this Saturday. We can eat breakfast beforehand and then drive down there to get pumpkins. Lincoln’s carvings have gotten much better.”

“I know. He could be a great sculptor,” Marco insisted.

“I agree.” They kissed each other again.

Jean was going to ask Marco to marry him. He’d bought the ring, and the only thing left was to find a day. He’d thought of doing it on pumpkin picking day, but that day was reserved for spending time with his siblings. Next he thought of maybe after they got home. The perfect time was during a beautiful sunset.

Everything just needed to be planned out accordingly.

\--

 _Everyone had a great time at_ the pumpkin patch. They got so lucky with their picks for coming a little earlier than usual, and it was a beautiful, sunny day. Perfect for a proposal in the sunset. They were carving their pumpkins in the dining room while Mrs. Bodt made them dinner. Lincoln created a pretty scary jack-o-lantern, showing how his skill had improved over the years. Nicole’s had a smiley face on it. Marco carved “Happy Halloween” into his own pumpkin, which Jean went for the basic jack-o-lantern carving.

“You do the same thing every year,” Lincoln laughed.

“He’s trying to hide the fact that he has no artistic skills,” Nicole said with a grin.

Jean blushed as he laughed. “You guys are so cruel!” He looked at Marco. “They’re roasting me! Do something.”

Marco looked at him and smiled. “Guys, if you need something else to make fun of, point out how his hair looks like a beehive when he slicks it back.”

“You should see his eighth grade picture from when he first got his haircut!”

They were all cackling while at the table, even Jean. It was really nice when they could joke around like this. Both Lincoln and Nicole have gotten much better after the loss of their mother. Jean was a little worried about how he could take care of his sister as she would grow older, but currently Marco’s mother was helping him now that Nicole was starting to go through changes.

He’d learned to take everything one step at a time.

Later on in the evening, Jean and Marco brought the carved pumpkins outside to dry out. They stood by themselves and watched the sun set.

“There’s a storm coming in…” Marco gestured towards the clouds that were a little bit away from them. “It’s kinda cool how you can see the contrast.”

Jean smiled and looked over at the sunny sky. “Let’s just focus on the sun for right now. It’s a really nice evening.” As he spoke he took his hand.

They walked away from the pumpkins and over by the end of the fence.

Marco shivered from the cold. “Jean, what are you doing?” he giggled as Jean tickled his neck with kisses. “We should go inside with the storm coming.”

“Gimme just one sec,” he insisted and held his hands. “I have something that I want to share with you, and I need both of us to have undivided attention.”

“Good luck with that,” he teased as he laughed.

Jean pouted and snuck a kiss in before letting one hand gently run down his side and over his waist. “It’s actually more of a question.”

As he went down on his knee, the sky grew darker. It was no longer the ideal sunset, but he didn’t notice and just watched Marco’s elated reaction. He saw his eyes tear up and his lip quiver while he’d covered his mouth. He knew exactly what was happening.

“Marco James Bodt…” He gulped as he said his full name. “I love you so much. You’ve helped me make my life whole again after everything that happened with my mother. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you as my husband.”

As Marco sniffled he started to laugh and squeezed his hand. “Oh my god, that was so cheesy. I love it,” he grinned.

He blushed and continued. He took the case with the ring inside and quietly opened it to show him. It wasn’t too flashy, but he was hoping that he would love it regardless. “Will you marry me?”

His grin never faded, and he dragged Jean up to his feet. “Yes!” He quickly kissed him. “Yes, baby.”

Jean hurried to put the ring on his finger and ended up dropping the case. As he tried picking it up, it started to rain. He went to get up and clocked heads with Marco by accident. They both groaned while rubbing their heads, and it started to pour.

Marco laughed, and despite the rain getting harder, he pulled him closer and kissed him happily. They stayed kissing like that for several minutes, enjoying the warmth of each other’s arms.

“Guys, bring the pumpkins in!” Marco’s mother suddenly called as she opened the door. “They’re gonna get all soggy if we have them out now!”

Jean blushed as he pulled away. The couple did as they were told. “Sorry, Mrs. Bodt.”

“Don’t worry about it, you lovebirds.” She smiled and went back inside.

Jean and Marco hurried up to grab the pumpkins and set them down by the kitchen floor. They were soaked through, and they smiled as they changed into warmer clothes. They almost couldn’t keep their hands off of each other, but they wanted to share their happy news with Marco’s parents as well as Jean’s siblings. Everyone was so excited, and they were eagerly ready to make plans together.

They married a year later. They had an October wedding, and after their night together they made love while it was pouring outside.


	5. "Congratulations, Daddy!" (Past / Future)

_“I’m nervous.”_

_“Jean, it’ll be fine.”_

“But what is something goes wrong? I don’t want to hurt—”

“Jean.”

Jean looked over at his husband after he’d broken away from his panic. He was a little shaky as they sat in a parking lot together.

“It’s okay,” he said with a smile. “You know that you’re not your father, right?”

He sighed shakily and nodded. “I know that, but I hate thinking about it.”

“But you’re not him,” Marco insisted and kissed him. “This is one of the most incredible day of our lives. Let’s enjoy these moments together. Okay? Don’t worry.”

As he thought about it a little more, he looked up and nuzzled him. “Okay, babe… I’m sorry. You’re right.” Jean looked at the building and took a deep breath. “Let’s go in. I’m ready.”

“Me too,” he grinned.

As the two of them got out of the car, they walked up together and held hands. Jean held his nerves in now, wanting to make the best impression. He kept thinking about the two years that led up to this moment.

\--

 _Marco was resting in their bed_ after they’d celebrated their second anniversary with an amazing dinner and equally amazing sex. Nicole and Lincoln were sleeping in their rooms in their new four-bedroom house. He rubbed Jean’s chest while they lied together, and they stayed together while he was thinking.

“Jean… I want a baby,” he said softly.

Jean shot up and looked over. “Where’d that come from?” he chuckled.

He giggled and looked over at him. “I mean, I know we’ve talked about wanting kids in the past when I was in college. But I think I really want one now.” He shyly ran a hand through his hair. “We’re 25 and 26. We’re not gonna be young forever, y’know?”

“Yes, I know,” he smiled. He kissed his forehead. “I feel like I’m ready. Are you?”

“Well, I’ve thought about it a little,” Jean confessed. “But I was worried that we wouldn’t have enough finances to do so.”

“We definitely have enough,” he assured him. He turned to him and moved closer. “But I don’t want to jump the gun and make this decision if you’re uncomfortable about it. We can have a child whenever you want.”

Jean didn’t have to think twice about it. Having a baby was a dream that he had for such a long time. He was really happy that Marco brought this up. Despite his anxiety about what he would be like as a father, he loved the idea of taking care of a child. “Let’s do it, Marco. Let’s have a baby,” he smiled.

Marco grinned and kissed him happily, crawling on top of him while they laughed against each other’s lips. “Oh, I’m so happy!”

Jean laughed and gave him another kiss. “Me too, baby.”

\--

 _They’d gone through the whole process_ of filing up adoption papers and being verified by the state. They were rejected twice. Despite their devastation, they kept trying. During that time, they’d sent Lincoln off to college and prepared for Nicole’s prom a year later.

Their third letter came as a complete surprise. Jean was home after working all morning, and Marco was still at work. He’d picked up the letter and read it, his eyes lighting up at reading the acceptance letter.

They were not only given their acceptance letter. They also received notice that there was a child waiting for them. He looked at the picture and was even more excited. He fell in love already, and he couldn’t wait to bring their baby home.

Jean decided to surprise Marco when he was coming home. He made a cake—albeit it was a miracle that he didn’t burn it—and got some balloons and prepared a little celebration. He invited Marco’s parents over, and he’d called Lincoln to tell him the good news before letting Nicole help him with the different decorations and to plan out their surprise better.

Marco got home several hours later, and he was confused at seeing the different party items and his parents looking at him with their ecstatic grins. “…What’s going on?” he chuckled.

“Welcome home, Marco,” he grinned and kissed him. “So glad you could come to our party.”

“Party? What are we celebrating?” He tilted his head. “Nicole’s birthday was last week, right?”

“You don’t remember celebrating my birthday?” Nicole gasped mockingly. “I’m shocked!” She couldn’t keep a straight face while she was teasing her brother-in-law.

“It’s a surprise,” Jean smiled and kissed his cheek. “Come with me. You’re just in time for cake.”

“Cake?” Marco was still confused. “Can someone please tell me what’s going on?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll explain everything later.” Jean held his hand and walked with him into the kitchen. The cake was on the table, and their families waited excitedly as Marco looked at it. He of course was really nervous. As he read what was written out on the cake, he was so shocked.

**Congratulations, Daddy! It’s a Boy!**

Marco nervously looked over and his eyes watered. “Jean, what… a-are we…?”

“Let me explain,” he said gently and took his hands. “This morning, we got a letter of acceptance.” He gave him the letter to let him read it. “We’re finally having a baby. His name is Nathan. He’s three months old, and he is the most precious baby I’ve ever seen.”

They both looked at the baby’s picture together, and Marco’s heart melted as he kept close to Jean. “He’s so handsome, Jean.” He looked up. “A-are we really gonna take him home?”

Jean nodded happily. “Yes. All we have to do is send them a response that we are going to take him home, and we can get a nursery ready while we wait for the confirmation.”

He started crying from joy, and he held him tightly. “Let’s bring him home. Oh Jean, we’re going to be parents!”

They smiled and kissed each other. Jean helped wipe his tears away and looked at their families as they celebrated.

“We’re having a baby,” he grinned and held Marco close.

“Please, can I see the picture again?” Nicole asked happily as he rushed over and grabbed the letter. “He’s so adorable!”

Marco laughed and wiped his eyes, looking at the cake. “I wanna eat it now.”

Everyone excitedly joined in as they cut the cake and continued to have their time together preparing for the new addition to the Kirschtein-Bodt family.

\--

 _After two months of preparing for_ the baby and setting up their nursery, they’d finally traveled to the adoption agency where little Nathan was waiting for them.

Jean took a deep breath and followed Marco inside the building. They checked in, and the couple filled out their final papers and verified their documents. Marco kept having to encourage Jean that they were both okay. Now the two of them were equally nervous. They were meeting their son for the first time! It was an exciting and scary moment for them.

The agent smiled as they’d finished certifying the two of them. They’d worked so hard for this moment, and now they were finally ready. “He’s all yours,” they insisted with a smile on their face. “You can go across the hall and pick him up. He’s really excited to see you.”

The two of them excitedly got up and did as they were told. Jean looked at the baby’s picture and his nerves increased with each step they took into the room. And when they saw little Nathan sitting in a highchair smiling and happily clapping his hands, all of his nerves quickly dissipated. His new son had just become his entire world.

“Hi, Nathan…” Marco cooed and grinned as he slowly picked him up. “Hello, baby.”

Jean smiled and moved closer to his little family. He held them both and grinned. “He’s even cuter in person,” he smiled.

“Right?” he giggled and kissed his cheek. The baby cooed and curiously looked at his fathers. Marco nuzzled their noses together as he giggled. “We’re so happy to bring you home.”

“Aunt Nicole is waiting for us with dinner,” Jean smiled and opened the doors for them while leading up to the car.

Nathan was such a happy baby. Even though he was now teething a little bit antsy, he was extremely happy as he was taken to his new home and shown around while being introduced to his new family. He loved meeting new people, and he looked so excited by everything that he saw.

Jean no longer was worried about what his parenting skills were going to be like. He knew that he was ready for this and that he was more than capable of raising a child. Both he and Marco were growing together as a married couple, and with their son in the picture too, they were really happy and in love, never afraid to share their stories and to introduce new friends to their little family unit.

As more pictures of the three of them were put up around the house throughout the future months and years, the family thrived in their happy home.


	6. Sweater Weather (Sweaters / Patterns)

_Jean, Marco, and Nathan came home_ from a long evening of trick-or-treating. They were all shivering from the cold as Jean held their son’s pillow case. He smiled as he dumped it out on the table to check the candy.

Nathan, now five years old, sat on the couch wearing his farmer costume, his teeth chattering. “Daddy, I’m cold,” he gasped.

Marco looked over and smiled gently as he picked him up. “Oh, sweetie… Let’s get you out of these clothes while Papa makes us some warm snacks.”

Jean watched them go into the room and made some pizza bites for all of them after putting the safe candy into a bowl. He smiled and put a movie on too as he heard them come back out to the living room.

They’d moved into a smaller place after Nicole and Lincoln moved out. Jean found out recently that Lincoln and his girlfriend were having a baby together, and there was a lot of excitement in the air while they all went on with their lives.

Nathan wore a cute purple sweater that his aunt Nicole gave him with blue and green checkered patterns. He walked over to Jean and tugged at his costume.

“Papa, Daddy wants you to wear a sweater.”

Marco was wearing a red sweater that had patterns on it as well. He smiled and waved at his husband. “I thought it’d be cute if we all wore sweaters during our movie night.”

He looked at the two of them and smiled. Once the pizza bites were done he set them down on the table while he went to go change. His own sweater was one of those ugly sweaters that he wore at a family Christmas party. They all sat together with the pizza bites on a table out in front of them while they all watched _Wreck-It-Ralph._

Nathan snuggled up in between his parents and kept eating the pizza bites. He was quickly warming up and giggled as he reached up and kissed the both of them on their cheeks.

Jean smiled and looked down at him, nuzzling his hair as he heard his son laugh.

“This is a cute movie,” Marco smiled and cuddled closer to Jean and Nathan.

“Yes. I love it,” Jean grinned. “What about you, Nathan?”

“I like it. My favorite’s Vanellope.”

The couple finished eating, but Nathan ate their last remaining pizza bites while the movie soon ended. It was quiet for a little moment, and he then looked at them curiously.

“Daddy, Papa… I wanna be a big brother.”

Jean and Marco blushed and were taken by surprise.

“What made you think of that, bud?” Jean asked.

“Jenny at school is gonna be a big sister.” Nathan moved their plate away so he could turn more to face them. “And Alex has two big brothers. But I’m all by myself.”

Marco smiled sadly and kissed his forehead. “Baby, you’re not all by yourself. You’ve got us.”

“But having a baby brother or sister sounds like lots of fun.” He yawned and rubbed his eyes. “Can I be a big brother?”

Jean sighed. “Nathan, it takes a lot of time. It might be a couple years before we can bring another child home.”

“I don’t mind waiting,” he insisted. “Please, Papa?”

The two parents looked at each other. They both were wondering the exact thing. Nathan was five years old, and they had both reached over thirty. There was a lot to factor in, but they can both agree that wanting another child had definitely been an option as the years progressed. There was a strange question in their minds though.

Why were they still waiting?

“We’ll have to talk about it, okay?” Jean smiled. “Now, it’s time for bed, Mister.”

“Okay.” Nathan sleepily snuggled up to Marco. In kind, Marco picked him up and brought him to his room. Jean still wore his sweater and went to bed, waiting for Jean to come in.

Once they were both in the room together, they stayed wearing their sweaters and looked at each other.

“Jean… what do you really think?”

“I really like the idea of having another child. I don’t know why we waited so long,” he smiled. “Nathan’s five.”

“I guess there was just a lot going on, with our jobs and raising a baby for the first time.” Marco rubbed his husband’s arm and smiled. “Can we have a child that’s maybe two or three this time?”

“Whatever age you want, as long as we can adopt them and give them a happy home.” Jean grinned and kissed him. “So, do you want another child?”

“Of course,” he grinned. He kissed him again with multiple sweet kisses on the lips. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” he hummed as they lied down together. “Nathan’s gonna be so excited.”

Marco nodded as he yawned, pulling the blankets over them. “That is the ugliest sweater you own in our closet he then added and giggled as he nuzzled his chest.

Jean laughed and kissed his husband’s forehead. “You’re adorable.”

The two of them were so happy to tell their son the next day that they were indeed going to have another child. The process this time was not as long as the first time they tried for an adoption. After a little over a year, they were able to get a letter of acceptance, and they went to the agency themselves to see who needed to be adopted.

There was a three-year-old girl named Amy that was taken away from a neglectful home. She was often overlooked by other couples because they didn’t want to deal with a girl that was traumatized. Neither Jean nor Marco could say no to her. And by giving her another chance, they were able to completely change her life. She truly was a sweet girl that loved her new family.

Jean resumed his tradition of going to the pumpkin patch now that the four of them were fully settled at their house. And they started a new tradition every Halloween night after trick-or-treating. They watched a family movie altogether while wearing their favorite sweaters until it was time for them to all go to sleep.

Jean and Marco couldn’t be happier that their lives were now much better, as well as happier with all of them as a family. With their two children and their successful jobs, nothing could break their kind and strong spirits.


	7. In Loving Memory (Spirits / Bones)

_Jean’s mother had passed away twenty_ years ago today. He planned on taking the whole family to see her grave together. Jean, Marco, Amy, and Nathan arrived first, and they put out lots of flowers and the kids gave her cards.

“I wish I knew grandma,” Amy said softly and looked up at her dads. “She must’ve been really nice.”

“She was,” Jean said with a smile. “And she was really strong and brave. She also knew who mattered to her the most. And that was me, Uncle Lincoln, and Aunt Nicole.”

Lincoln and Nicole arrived about a half hour later. Lincoln had three children with his wife, and they all gathered together while the cousins then played together. Nicole had one young child and had another along the way. They all sat beside her grave and honored her memory.

“I remember when she took pictures of us after the kindergarten play,” Marco laughed as he looked at them. “She’s always been really nice.”

“I miss her so much,” Nicole sighed sadly. “If she knew about our lives now, she’d be so proud of us. Right, Jean?”

“Of course, she would,” he smiled. “She’d always wanted us to be happy as we got older. After all, the three of us all have our lives together, and we really love our families. These are the types of values that she’d always hoped for us, you know.”

Lincoln nodded. “You’re right.”

Jean listened to them talk and smiled. He looked at her gravestone and fixed some more of the flowers that his other siblings brought for her. He knew that she would be very proud of them. He knew that her spirit was watching over them and smiling down at them.

They happily stayed together, and eventually all the children came back over to their parents so that they could keep close to them. Jean, Lincoln, and Nicole each told them stories about when they were kids, telling them more about their mother and letting them imagine what it was like having her around. Jean could tell that they enjoyed it, seeing their curious and amazed faces.

They stayed until almost sunset, and they all went home. When Jean visited her ten years ago, when it was just him, Marco, and baby Nathan, he had been so upset and crying the whole time. This time it was really refreshing, and he got to actually honor her memory and tell his children about her.

They put the kids down for bed later on that night, and he told Amy another story when she had a hard time winding down.

“Papa, when I grow up, I wanna be as brave and strong as Grandma Kirschtein,” she said softly as she kissed her dad’s cheek.

Jean smiled as he heard her. “Trust me. You already are, sweetheart.”

Amy hugged him one last time. “Good night. Love you.”

“I love you too,” he hummed as he kissed her good night on the forehead. After he turned the light off, he left the bedroom and went into Nathan’s.

His son was already sleeping, but he kissed him goodnight regardless before shutting his light off for him. He smiled and met up with Marco outside the bedroom.

“I’m really glad that we came today,” Marco whispered and smiled as he nuzzled him. “The kids loved it.”

“I know,” he grinned and brought him into the room. With their door closed and the lights dimmed, they lied down in their bed together after dressing down and kissed each other tenderly. They cuddled close to each other with the blankets overlapping their bodies.

Their hands intertwined together while they engulfed each other in their warmth, just enjoying this moment of peace together. There was a never a dull moment in their relationship, and there were a lot more times when they’d go to bed happy with each other than not.

Marco giggled as his husband kissed his fingers. He kept close and snuck a kiss on the forehead. Then they embraced each other once more.

Jean hummed as they relaxed together. “Thank you…” he hummed.

“For what?” he asked he looked up.

He smiled. “Thank you for always being there for me. Thank you for being the love of my life and the father of my children. Thank you for everything, baby…”

He blushed and grinned. “And thank you too. For everything that you’ve done for me. I love you, Jean.”

“I love you too,” he smiled and kissed him once more.

They held each other in the comfort of their arms, and nothing would be any better than this.


End file.
